Ibarra takes shot at P1.1 million in First Gentleman Silver Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Champion galloper Ibarra is expected to set out as top favorite when he faces seven others in the PCSO-sponsored 14th First Gentleman Silver Cup, one of the four big events highlighting a 14-race program this afternoon at the Saddles and Club Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite.

Veteran Patti Dilema will be on the saddle when Ibarra, co-winner of the PSA horse of the year award last year, takes a shot at the top prize of P1.1 million in the 2000-meter race while going for his second stakes win in the season.

Challenging Ibarra, the most prominent tenant in the stable of Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos, are veterans El Terrible (Jeff Zarate), Shining Fame (Jesse Guce), Mr. Victory (Rodeo Fernandez), Don Enrico (Fernando Racquel), Hieroglyphics (Christopher Tamano), Defiant (AF Sullano) and Anonymous (Antonio Alcasid, Jr.)

A five-year-old son of imported Yonaguska and Fire Down Under, Ibarra has won one and lost one in his first two stakes races he competed in since January after coming out of a long vacation following a minor leg injury in 2007.

Ibarra topped the Commissioner’s Cup in March as he turned the tables on Don Enrico, who dealt him a stinging loss in the Garnet in February, the only black mark in an amazing career that saw him lose only once in 16 starts.

A total of P1.750 million in prizes has been staked by the sponsoring Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office headed by chairman Sergio Val;encia, with the runner-up taking home P350,000, third placer P175,000 and fourth placer P85,000.

In another highlight event, filly Heaven Sent meet six others as she chases the second jewel of the 2009 Triple Crown Series.

Winner of the kickoff leg under jockey Rodeo Fernandez, Heaven Sent is pitted against coupled entry Lively Dude, Blue Ocean, Dream Supreme, first leg runner-up Mr. Diamond and Eternal Flame in a 1800-meter race where the winner gets P1.8 million.

A respected new addition in this field of three-year-olds is Eternal Flame, who won the Hopeful Stakes 1, an auxiliary event of the ‘Triple’, on the same afternoon Heaven Sent topped Leg One by going gate to wire.

Also on tap this afternoon are the Hopeful stakes 2 featuring seven runners led by Boudica of businessman Putch Puyat and the 2-Year-Old stakes event parading nine runners headed by Carriedo and Brother Barack of the Hermie Esguerra stable.